Union Station Revitalization | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto | NORR

[DominicMaida]

 

[EnviroTO]

Can't they tap into the pool of development funds or the Union Station renovation funding for a proper permanent solution? It's ridiculous that so much money was spent on the public realm improvements, only to trash the place with highway construction barriers.

Yes, and it isn't like the original plan didn't have a solution for this built into the design. They could have put in full strength bollards along the street spaced out such that vehicles couldn't get through. Instead they put in weak faux bollards that have already been damaged by the light taps of bad drivers trying to park. Auger, drop in sleeve, pour concrete around sleeve, drop strong and shiny bollard in sleeve, get rid of ugly traffic barriers.

 

[DSC]

One of my neighbours recently wrote to the City to get an update on Union Station and she just sent me the quite detailed reply that she received from the City's Project Director.:

"As with many of the construction projects around the city, COVID has had an impact on the schedule of the Union Station project also. Not having pedestrian traffic around the station has been helpful but not to any great extent as most of the work that is being undertaken is behind hoarding for the public's protection. The largest impact from COVID has been the availability of resources to work on site. Despite this, we continue with the project as best we can.

We are anticipating the re-opening of the carriageway tunnel areas under the Front Street plaza by the end of September. This area also has an Art Display but we do not anticipate the installation of the art to be completed until the end of January 2021. The floors of the Great Hall are not part of the scope of work for the General Contractor but are scheduled to be completed along with the lighting in 2021. The Bay Concourse opening is presently being reviewed by Metrolinx and the City however, we do expect the opening by November.

In general, the scope of work of the General Contractor should be completed by the end of 2020. Although the General Contractor will be completed their work there are other aspects of work that will continue. Osmington, our partner, will be completing the fit outs of the retail units in the new retail area of the station. Also, Metrolinx has planned work continuing at the south end of the station. "

I heard separately, from Councillor Cressy's office, that the art work in the Carriageway (celebrating the Walks & Gardens Trust) is delayed because the artists are 'stuck' in Belgium due to covid travel restrictions.

 

[Allandale25]

^ I can't remember. Do we know yet what the art work in the Carriageway will look like?

 

[Northern Light]

One of my neighbours recently wrote to the City to get an update on Union Station and she just sent me the quite detailed reply that she received from the City's Project Director.:

"As with many of the construction projects around the city, COVID has had an impact on the schedule of the Union Station project also. Not having pedestrian traffic around the station has been helpful but not to any great extent as most of the work that is being undertaken is behind hoarding for the public's protection. The largest impact from COVID has been the availability of resources to work on site. Despite this, we continue with the project as best we can.

We are anticipating the re-opening of the carriageway tunnel areas under the Front Street plaza by the end of September. This area also has an Art Display but we do not anticipate the installation of the art to be completed until the end of January 2021. The floors of the Great Hall are not part of the scope of work for the General Contractor but are scheduled to be completed along with the lighting in 2021. The Bay Concourse opening is presently being reviewed by Metrolinx and the City however, we do expect the opening by November.

In general, the scope of work of the General Contractor should be completed by the end of 2020. Although the General Contractor will be completed their work there are other aspects of work that will continue. Osmington, our partner, will be completing the fit outs of the retail units in the new retail area of the station. Also, Metrolinx has planned work continuing at the south end of the station. "

I heard separately, from Councillor Cressy's office, that the art work in the Carriageway (celebrating the Walks & Gardens Trust) is delayed because the artists are 'stuck' in Belgium due to covid travel restrictions.

Excellent post; many thanks!

But I am disappointed to hear the Great Hall lighting is not til 2021.

That, to me, will be one of those cherries on top of the Sundae.

 

[DSC]

^ I can't remember. Do we know yet what the art work in the Carriageway will look like?

Yes, there was some sort of description/picture WAAAAAY back in this thread. My recollection is that it has figures all along one wall of the carriageway and the figures move but .....

 

[union2pearson]

Just a heads up for those who have not been down to Union Station and surrounding areas. The York West Teamway Ticket Booth has been demolished. Any ticket purchases or loading of Presto Cards/Customer Service will now be at the major concourse(s). Only TVM's and AVM's available.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Yes, there was some sort of description/picture WAAAAAY back in this thread. My recollection is that it has figures all along one wall of the carriageway and the figures move but .....

Public Art will Interact with Passersby at Union Station | UrbanToronto

New public art will react to passersby and commemorate a time when people strolled along Toronto's waterfront parkland - on Front Street.

urbantoronto.ca

AoD

 

[ProjectEnd]

It's disappointing that in the most prominent part of the station, walked through by millions a year, shown in every photograph, they had an opportunity for some striking architecture, but they went for this off the shelf Canadian Tire Gazebo*
*Some assembly required.

Frank Gehry's DZ Bank for context:

Pics: Arch Daily

How is a showy, private, bank building a relevant precedent? Even if you're going to use Berlin (a hilarious comparison), why not show the HBF?

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

How is a showy, private, bank building a relevant precedent? Even if you're going to use Berlin (a hilarious comparison), why not show the HBF?

Berlin HBF? Impressive in scale but architecturally lumpy.
In any case, not wanting it to upstage the headhouse isn't to say the glass atria couldn't have been executed a bit more delicately - it is heavy-handed as built.

AoD

 

[ProjectEnd]

Lumpy? Gonna have to stridently disagree there @AlvinofDiaspar...

It's huge, sure, but filled with very fine detail that we just wouldn't do here. I mean, there ain't nothing 'lumpy' about this:

We wouldn't even get that detail in a bank building here...

 

[interchange42]

Berlin HBF? Impressive in scale but architecturally lumpy.
In any case, not wanting it to upstage the headhouse isn't to say the glass atria couldn't have been executed a bit more delicately - it is heavy-handed as built.

AoD

Berlin Hbf is one of the most impressive buildings let alone train stations I've spent time in, and I'd give anything to have that utopian cyberpunk architecture here: it's a total buzz!

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[AlvinofDiaspar]

Lumpy? Gonna have to stridently disagree there @AlvinofDiaspar...

It's huge, sure, but filled with very fine detail that we just wouldn't do here. I mean, there ain't nothing 'lumpy' about this:

We wouldn't even get that detail in a bank building here...

Detail it is - but it doesn't fit my personal aesthetic - it look overwrought, fuzzy.

AoD

 

[Northern Light]

Berlin Hbf is one of the most impressive buildings let alone train stations I've spent time in, and I'd give anything to have that utopian cyberpunk architecture here: it's a total buzz!

42

You get points for the first reference I've ever seen to 'Utopian Cyberpunk' as an architectural style.

 

[interchange42]

You get points for the first reference I've ever seen to 'Utopian Cyberpunk' as an architectural style.

I just wanted to indicate that Berlin Hbf doesn't have dystopian undertones (or overtones for that matter) that some would associate with "cyberpunk".

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